Lake City brass...

[nvshooter]

I've heard that Lake City brass is the preferred military brass for reloaders of 5.56mm NATO rounds. Anybody know why? Just folklore, vicious rumor or maybe a bad joke? I have hunnerds upon hunnerds of 'em, some as old as 1972. The headstamp has changed multiple times over the decades. I prefer the brass made after 2001. No particular reason why; I just do.

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[OggieO]

Lake City brass is the preferred brass for 5.56, .39 Carbine, 7.62 x 51 and .30-06. All military calibers. It is supposed to be thicker with a higher trailer strength and capable of being reloaded more time than average brass. That is what a guy who I reloaded with in the '80s told me and what I have heard and read since. There must be something to it.

 

[11Charlie]

@v0lcom13sn0w explained the reasoning to me. If I remember correctly it was they last longer and the thicker wall thing.

 

[Belevolk]

I bought a bunch in .308 cause I was told that they hold up longer. The price was attractive as well.

 

[nvshooter]

I went shooting at a big public range about a week ago, and there were literally thousands of .223 cases laying all over the place. My brother is an RSO there, so we were shooting after 1500 when the place closes to the public. Was just us two, so there would have been ample time to pick-up more than just the hundred or so I did. It was windy and getting cold, so we packed it up and went home. It's a twelve-hour drive to where my brother lives, so no chance of grabbing any more for quite a while.

 

[armoredman]

I dislike NATO brass due to the extra step of decrimping that dadgum things...and you are right - .223 brass is EVERYWHERE. I saw some listed for sale, and I had to laugh. I just have to drive to the public range and I'll find some. I am a junk reloader - I usually use a mixture of brass, as long as it's good brass, it can all hold the same load.

 

[nvshooter]

I dislike NATO brass due to the extra step of decrimping the dadgum things...

I use an 82-degree chamfering tool I bought at Sears in the early 1990s, I think it was. Spins out the crimp in about three revolutions, and leaves a nice, 1/32" chamfer on the pocket. That particular tool is no longer available, but any sharp chamferng tool will do the job.

The 1990s tool is on the far left; it gets the most use because it cuts the smoothest chamfer. The middle one is for countersinking screws into wood. Very sharp; cuts very fast. It has a small threaded stud on the rear, so I screwed a little extension nut onto it for the cordless drill to grab it. The far right one is another tool that doesn't get too much use because it doesn't cut a smooth, flat cut. I bought it when I couldn't find the far left one for several days about twenty years ago...

 

[armoredman]

I use the RCBS Swage Die set. I don't even own a cordless drill, can you believe it?

 

[nvshooter]

I don't even own a cordless drill; can you believe it?

They're great! No bothersome cord to cramp your style when you really gotta get in there and drill a hole at an oddball angle-- like under the dashboard of an automobile...

 

[nvshooter]

I dislike NATO brass due to the extra step of decrimping that dadgum things...

Y'only gotta do it once. How time-consuming can it really be? I've done hunnerds at a sittin'...

 

[Belevolk]

I get a football game that I am going to watch get plenty of food and drink and buckets for the brass. It is amazing how many you can go through with out really paying attention.